Contributed by: maverickScott(others by this writer | submit your own)Published on March 26th 2004One of the most important rock albums of the nineties gets the tenth anniversary treatment, and while you may not think it's possible to love the Blue Album moreso than you already do, this Deluxe Edition will make you treasure the disc even more.
This re-issue contains Weezer's classic 1994 epon.

One of the most important rock albums of the nineties gets the tenth anniversary treatment, and while you may not think it's possible to love the Blue Album moreso than you already do, this Deluxe Edition will make you treasure the disc even more.

This re-issue contains Weezer's classic 1994 eponymous debut, and each of the 10 songs sounds as good as they did 10 years ago. From the acoustic fingerplucking of "My Name Is Jonas" to the tumultuous guitar solo raging over thundering drums in "Only In Dreams," the album still sounds as flawless as it did before.

So why buy this, if you already own the original version of the album?

First off, there's a second disc chock full of b-sides, live tracks, and rarities. The highlights are "Mykel and Carli," "Susanne," and "Jamie," but none of the 14 tracks - which include live, acoustic, and demo songs, some of which have never been heard before - are duds. It's exciting to finally have an official documentation of songs you've had on your hard drive for ages, as well as ones you've never encountered before. My only complaint is that there's still about 20 minutes of free space on disc 2, and as a devoted Weezer fan I know there is more from this 1994-and-before era that could have made the cut. I guess I'll just wait for the box set in another 10 years.

The packaging on this double-disc is also very pleasing to the eye. From the understated, classy sleeve it comes in to the incredibly detailed liner notes and handwritten lyrics to the amusing inclusion of the band's collective feet on the back cover, it's all well done. A lot of love has been poured into this re-issue, and it's evident as you pore over the liner notes.

You may not like Weezer, but it's hard to argue that the band, and this album in particular [as well as Pinkerton], didn't help shape modern rock music, especially underground. The Blue Album is an essential part of any self-respecting music lover's collection, and this Deluxe Edition will keep even the most diehard fan happy.

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you

Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten

Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like

Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon
sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (April 2, 2004)

"I see you are familair with sarcasim, but not with pretension. The film builds up a artsy front to cover a run of the mill teen angst story. I stand by what i said. And yeah, i don't like the film to be different? The film is is practicly a bible for wannabee different kids. Pathetic attention whores who pretend to be crazy or bipolor, brag about their medications, and spend more time working on their live journal and taking webcam shots of themselves not looking at the camera for attention than trying to better themselves. The only thing worse than that movie are their fans who defend it like a religous fucking artifact."

You seem to have more of a problem with the kids that worship that movie than the movie it self.

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

all in all, has alot more than just the original songs/version so pick it up if your a fan/ and if you haven't heard much of Weezer check them out and see what you think

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

donnie darko and mullholland drive were two of the best movies to come out in recent years (in my opinion). the problem with movies like them though is that you generally have to watch them a couple times before you can really appreciate everything that they have going on in them. i'm not saying everyone has to like these movies, but i do think that a certain portion of people who don't are just too lazy to really give them the attention they need.

"Yeah, you're right - they wrote a movie and put tons of money into it - and the main plotline was an excuse for people who saw the movie to say "you didn't get it". YEAH!!!"
I see you are familair with sarcasim, but not with pretension. The film builds up a artsy front to cover a run of the mill teen angst story. I stand by what i said. And yeah, i don't like the film to be different? The film is is practicly a bible for wannabee different kids. Pathetic attention whores who pretend to be crazy or bipolor, brag about their medications, and spend more time working on their live journal and taking webcam shots of themselves not looking at the camera for attention than trying to better themselves. The only thing worse than that movie are their fans who defend it like a religous fucking artifact.

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

he's still around, he just wasn't there on monday because he had to do that dream job thing

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

PTI is awesome, I just wish Tony Cornheiser was still around, the new guy is a bit bleh to me.

4131

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

Hot lesbian sex is cool. Mulholland Drive is still a fucking terrible movie though

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

because that's all that matters, right?

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

Mulholland Drive is cool because you get to see Naomi Watt's nice round tits.

Anonymous (March 30, 2004)

If I already owned it, it might not be worth paying for, but since I somehow managed to NEVER own a copy of Blue, This reissue is way worth it. Makes me glad I waited!

I pretty much like all of the movies you listed, but Mullholland Drive was horible. Please tell me why it was even okay. Donnie Darko was alright, nothing spectacular.

I love Weezer. I don't even mind the Green Album, and think Maladroit was wicked underrated. Pinkerton is my favourite though with the Blue album coming in a close second.

If I was given the choice between buying this, and buying the DVD, what should I buy? Take into account that I usually only watch music dvds once or twice, and listen to cd's (especially Weezer cd's) many, many more times than that.

"Finally! Someone who agrees! Donnie Darko was nothing more than a poorly written garbage teen angst movie. All that time travel stuff was just a front so kids can give the "oh you didn't get it" excuse to any naysayers."

Yeah, you're right - they wrote a movie and put tons of money into it - and the main plotline was an excuse for people who saw the movie to say "you didn't get it". YEAH!!! Wow you're a fucking idiot. Sorry, in movies, it's not about giving people excuses, it's about making money - and if you're too cool to like donnie darko then i'm not surprised. You most likely really do think it's a good movie, you just wanna be different. dummy.

-Joshua Hollywood

Anonymous (March 29, 2004)

I will buy it when it comes out in Canada. but in the meanwhile I went to http://weezernation.com/ where you can get pretty much all the demos and songs you can handle.

Anonymous (March 29, 2004)

Too much hate on the green album.

I think the band tried to re-introduce themselves to the mainstream again after Rivers went into that depression and writers block after the poor reception to Pinkerton. In that effect, they suceeded with the album.

yes blue is the best and is essential, pinkerton is really good but a bit overrated, you can throw maladroit out the window, and green is like blue-lite.
pavement is really good.
archers of loaf are better than either band, go buy icky mettle right now or download it if you can find it.
its sad that people still worship this band even though they peaked 10 years ago..

Anonymous (March 29, 2004)

i'm glad a couple of you mentioned pavement, cause everytime i listen to weezer (who i like) i think about how much pavement must've influenced them. the difference in the two bands being that pavement took a lot more risks and experimented a lot more with their music while weezer (with the exception of pinkerton) always played it safe with their songs. the 7 is for weezer, i'd give pavement a 10, and while everyone is mentioning it donnie darko gets a 10 too. for everyone that disagrees, go back to china you bitches.

Anonymous (March 29, 2004)

This album is the best (and only good) thing Weezer ever did. Try all you want to tell me how great Pinkteron is, I'll still tell you its utter shite, and that they cry too much on it.

Finally... I've been wainting for this Disc for ages. We should all run to ths first shop to get 2 copies. One you keep and one you listen. This disc is one of the most important part of my personal music collection.

Finally! Someone who agrees! Donnie Darko was nothing more than a poorly written garbage teen angst movie. All that time travel stuff was just a front so kids can give the "oh you didn't get it" excuse to any naysayers.

Anonymous (March 28, 2004)

After 10 years, Only In Dreams still crushes most songs that are out there now.

Anonymous (March 28, 2004)

I dont know who first decided to dub Pinkerton as this essential 'emo' album but it was definitely some moron in more recent years. In 1996 not one person ever called the CD emo...It was an alternative rock cd and that was it. The CD has a few gems but don't make it out to be some crucial symbol of mid '90s emo.

Anonymous (March 28, 2004)

Great album for sure. Regardless of whether you like it anymore, or whether you even like the band anymore, this album did have a huge impact. The song: "Buddy Holly" blew up, and it's not even the best song on the CD.
Don't think I need to be running out and buying a deluxe re-issue, though, as I'm content with my boring old, ten dollar, bargain bin copy.
Anywho, the main reason I posted was to say, why the hell does everyone like Donnie Darko? That movie was boring. And the ending wasn't deep and meaningful, but convenient old Hollywood trying to make you think you're watching something with meaning, when really it's meaningless. Watch 'Swimming Pool' or 'Requiem for a Dream' or 'Thirteen' or 'The last temptation...' or 'Lost In Translation' or 'Memento' or '21 Grams' or 'Mulholland Drive' or 'Being John Malkovich' if you actually want to feel and think. 'Donnie Darko' just seemed so ridiculous, even if the whole time travel spin was handled with subtlety for once instead of throwing it in our face and turning the whole thing into some fucking action movie. God, I hate and love movies at the same time.
Just my two cents, which usually gets me hated.

if i remember correctly, rolling stone called pinkerton the 2nd worst album of 96, right behind the masterpiece known as razorblade suitcase by everyone's favorite "alternative" rockers, bush. anyone remember one song from that piece of shit band? didn't think so. and if i wanted to hear pavement, i'd watch pardon the interruption on espn.

Secondly, have any of you preaching Pinkerton as a "foundation of emo" ever heard of, you know, Rites of Spring? Pinkerton isn't emo, however, whoever down there said Diary was getting warmer. Pinkerton's simply fine melodic rock.

That being said, I think that Pinkerton is probably overrated NOW, but think back to about 7 years ago, when no one cared about it. Everything balances out in the end, I suppose.

Listen to the music that has emerged since the mid-90's, especially in indie and emo circles. Many of the bands tapping the current 'big' sounds of today have grown up listening to the Blue album. You may call them a 'party' band, but then, a lot of kids grew up on this party band then, and started party bands of their own. And we will have a big party with their music playing on our boom box, and we will have pizza. It will be a good party.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

I need help. I really liked thi album, bought it when it came out, still play it to this day: but what's all this talk bout it being one of the msot important or influential albums of the 90's? These guys are the B-52's of their era, which is a compliment, but they're a party band, not a scene setter.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

oh yeah, that was hitlerbadzak good who wrote that comment under this one.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

"i don't hate pinkerton but i think its overrated as hell. blue album is their best."

i love the blue album, even the green album was decent, i guess pinkerton crossed a line to where it was way too emo for my likings.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

I think Rivers is one of the most important singer/songwriters of our time.

"i don't hate pinkerton but i think its overrated as hell. blue album is their best."

I agree.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

No 'Let's Sew Our Pants Together' on this? Best b-side ever. Although, I have no idea what album it was a b-side from...

Screw this album anyway, I'll buy the dvd.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

BSD sucks balls

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

all you fan boys should shut the fuck up.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

as someone who's been listening to this album for 10 years straight, i think it's bullshit that they expect people to pay another 20 bucks for an album they already own. save that for the who and rush and other bands that have fans old enough to be able to afford this. with that said, the original is the first cd i ever bought with my own money and might be my favorite album of the 90s.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

the song is called "the good life"

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

can anybody tell me what is the name of the Weezer song on Pinkerton (if I'm not mistaken) that the video is about pizza delivery or something??

For an unknown reason I want to watch this video again today... Thanx!

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

pinkerton is an amazing album, and emo would be nothing without it and SDR's diary. i used to say that it was their best. now i'm pretty sure that was just a phase. i've seen many of my friends kind of "outgrow" pinkerton.

These guys are one of the five most influential punk bands of all time, included with the likes of the Clash, Ramones, Sex Pistols, and MC5.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

I'm so glad I spent lots of time collecting all the =w= b-sides and stuff ever recorded on Kazaa last year, so I didn't have to spend 20 (or more) dollars on this.

Anyway, unless you a) really, really, REALLY love Weezer, or b) lost your original copy of the blue album, its not really worth it. Not saying these b-sides (Jamie, Suzanne...etc.) and really rare stuff (kitchen tape demos) aren't good, but if you don't really like Weezer, I doubt you'll care that much.

last time I saw weezer live they played seven songs off of pinkerton, I don't think he hates it anymore.

Anonymous (March 27, 2004)

"I hope they do a deluxe edition for pinkerton"

that will never happen. rivers hates that album.

Anonymous (March 26, 2004)

i live Weezer. they are my fav band and the Blue Album Deluxe Edition is well worth every penny. i seriously do hope that Weezer plans on releasing a Pinkerton Special Edition, and that it includes the Songs From The Black Hole. i gotta wait at least until 2006 for this though. but it'll be worth it.

the cd is great. i heard the 2nd disc today at school. every song is great too. blue album is my favorite weezer album. i think pinkerton is also great but i like the blue album much more. i really like all the melodies on the blue album.

Anonymous (March 26, 2004)

Hell's yes, Pinkerton definitely needs its b-sides collection together on one disc, and throw in some songs from the black hole, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

I have always felt comments such as "The only song I liked by them is..." belong in the same category as "I liked them before they were big".

Though whenever stated, I am sure the individual is true in that this is the only song they liked by the particular band, but at the same time it is such a silly topic as in most instances the person has only heard from a handful of songs.

On a related note, I must express that I found the DVD to be amazing. There is little funnier than the band's commentary on their videos; whenever Pat or even Brian speaks it is a riot. One of the best purchases I have ever made for 12.99 CDN that was not a pizza. I hope there a review is coming soon, and I love pizza.